April Fool's Day, 1844
The Train to Drogheda
During the final week of March, 1844 placards appeared all around Dublin advertising that a free train ride would be offered on April 1st to all who desired it. The free ride would ferry passengers to the town of Drogheda and back. Early on the first of April a large crowd gathered at the station. As a train began to approach, the crowd surged forward, eager to secure their free seats. But the conductors and overseers intervened to keep the people away from the train, informing them that no free ride was being offered. The crowd would have none of this, and a riot soon broke out. The paper reported the next day that, "The labourers on the road supported the overseers—the victims fought for their places, and the melee was tremendous." The following day a number of people went to the police station to lodge official complaints. But the police dismissed all complaints "in honour of the day."
Text copyright © 2002 Alex Boese